From the recording Levels
JUST DON'T SAY GOODBYE
"Just Don't Say Goodbye" is a song about one of the hardest moments we experience as human beings—the moment we have to let go.
Whether it's the end of a relationship, the goodbye before a long journey, or simply watching someone walk away, there's something about that final word that carries a weight unlike any other. Sometimes we don't want answers. We don't even need promises. We just want to believe that this isn't the end.
That's the emotion I wanted to capture with this song.
The lyrics live in that space between hope and heartbreak. The narrator isn't asking for forever. He's simply asking to hold onto hope a little longer. "Say you'll see me soon... Say anything... Lie if you have to try... Just don't say goodbye." It's the voice of someone who knows the truth may be coming but isn't ready to hear it.
I think we've all had moments where we wished time would stand still. Where we wanted one more conversation, one more embrace, one more chance to rewrite the ending. That's what inspired lines like, "Tell me the stars forgot how to fall. Tell me the clock's not moving at all."
Musically, I wanted this song to feel intimate, cinematic, and emotionally honest. The melody leaves room for the vulnerability in the lyrics, allowing every note to reflect the ache of holding on while knowing you may have to let go.
At its heart, "Just Don't Say Goodbye" isn't just about loss.
It's about hope.
It's about loving someone so deeply that even when the ending feels inevitable, your heart still searches for one more tomorrow.
Because sometimes the hardest word in any language...
...is goodbye.
Written, Produced & Performed by Derrick D'MAR Martin
Lyrics
JUST DON’T SAY GOODBYE
Written, Produced and Performed by Derrick D’MAR Martin
[Verse]
The sun dips low but it doesn't set
Your shadow's here but you're not gone yet
I feel the air
It's holding its breath
Waiting for words that could mean the end
[Chorus]
Just don't say goodbye
Say you'll see me soon
Say the night is shy
But it hides the moon
Say anything
Lie if you have to try
Just don't say goodbye
[Verse 2]
Your hand lets go but it still feels warm
Like a ghost that lingers after the storm
I see your face in the rearview glass
Don't make this moment the last we have
[Prechorus]
Say you'll be back
Say it’s not the end
Even if it’s a game we pretend
[Bridge]
Tell me the stars forgot how to fall
Tell me the clock's not moving at all
Spin me a tale
I’ll believe the lie
Anything but goodbye
[Chorus]
Just don't say goodbye
Say you'll see me soon
Say the night is shy
But it hides the moon
Say anything
Lie if you have to try
Just don't say goodbye